Wire fence



(No Model.) 8

- T'. GRIFFIN 88 W. J. MITCHELL.

WIRE FENCE.

No. 387,413. Patented Au 7, 1888.

ATTORNEY,

U IT D STATES,

PATENT Grace.

THOMAS GRIFFIN AND WILLIAM MITCHELL, OF NOBLESVILLE, INDIANA.

WIRE FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,413, dated August 7, 1888.

Application filed April 20, 1888.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, THOMAS GRIFFIN and WILLIAM MITCHELL, of Noblesville, in the county of Hamilton and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Wire Fence, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvement in wire fences, more particularly to the manner of bracing and sustaining the posts, and has for its object to provide a simple and effective means whereby the posts of a fence will be retained in a solid perpendicular position, and wherein the said posts may be laterally ad justed to accommodate the expansion, and contraction of the wires.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a section of a fence. Fig. 2 is a detail view showing in perspective and side elevations the two rackplates. Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the locking device attached to the braces and posts, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the wireclainping bars. a

In carrying out the invention the several posts 10, being suitably spaced, are preferably secured in the ground by packing the earth around the base, and also by means of an anchor, 11, consisting of a rod, 12, projected through the posts and secured by a nut, 13, which rod is carried downward at an angle from the post and bent in loop shape to retain a stone or other convenient weight, 14.. Upon the opposing faces of the end posts a rack, 15, is attached, which rack is provided with a central longitudinal aperture, 16, and the post at the rear of the rack and in alignment with the rackaperture 16 is provided with an aligning-recess, 17, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To each end post a brace, 18, is provided, having beveled ends, to one of which ends a rack-plate, 19, is secured in any approved manner, adapted to engage the post-rack 15, and to that end the brace-rack 19 is provided with a post or lug, 20, extending horizontally SerialNo. 2'IL268. (No model.)

and centrally therefrom, which post is adapted to enter the rackaperture 16 and also the post-recess 17, as shown in Fig. 3. The teeth of the post-rack 15 have a downward inclination, and the teeth of the brace-rack 19 an upward inclination, in order that the same may interlock when brought together, as best shown in Fig. 1.

The lower end of the braces 18 are made to rest upon astone, iron, or other suitable block, 21, and the said braces are held in connection with the posts by means of alever, 22, pivoted to the latter centrally by means of a staple or eye, 23. The ends of the lever 22 are apertured. In one end a link, 24, is pivoted, the other end of which link is secured to the respective brace 18 near the upper surface of the block 21. In the upper apertured end of the lever 22 a rod, 25, is secured, which rod is projected through the braces 18, threaded at the projecting end, and provided with a nut, 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When the wire has been duly stretched from post to post and the various posts properly anchored in the ground, the racked surfaces of the post-braces are brought together, the link 24 of the lever 22 is attached to the brace, and the rod 25 is passed through the same and secured by means of the aforesaid ,nut. Should the wire now contract and it be desired to relieve the strain upon the said wire, the nut 26 may be loosened, which will permit the post to incline slightly inward and relieve the strain. If, on the contrary, the wire is slackened, by carrying the nut downward, and consequently drawing the rod 25 upward, the brace 18 is made to bear steadily against the several posts 10 and carry the same outward, thereby exerting a proper tension upon each andevery wire.

In order that the wires may be properly spaced and held spaced, the several longitudinal strands 27 are tied together by a series of spaced vertical clamps, 28, the same consisting of metal bars of proper length pivoted one upon the other at their lower ends, which rods are provided with slots in one edge of a dis tance apart equal to the space between the strands 27, and so arranged that when one bar is folded upon the other the slots in each will register. In applying the clamps the bars are opened in opposite directions and carried upward, one upon each side of the strands, the

hinge being at the bottom. The strands are then made to enter the several recesses,and the bars are folded one upon the other and secured in such position by a lacing of wire or equivalent material.

While we have described the braces 18 as used only in connection with the end post, it will be understood that the said braces may be used in connection with any intermediate postdesired; but at all times these braces are cur ployed in connection with the end posts.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a fence-post hav ing a rack, of an inclined brace having a rack atits upperend engaging the rack on the post, substantially as set forth.

2. Theeombination,with the fence-post hav ing arack, of an inclined brace provided with a rack at its upper end, engaging the rack on the post, and adjustable connections between the post and brace below their racks, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a fence-post provided with a recess in one face and a centrally slotted rack-plate secured to the post adjacent to said recess, of an inclined brace provided with an engaging rackplate, a lug integral with the braee-rack, adapted to enter the slot of the post-rack'and the recess in said post, and atake'up device attached to said post and brace, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with a t'encepost and a rack-plate, of a brace, a rack-plate attached to one end of said brace, adapted to engage the postrack, a lever t'ulcrumed centrally upon the post, a link connecting the lower end of said lever to the lower end of said brace, and a threaded bar attached to the upper end of the lever and passing through the brace, and means for adjusting the said bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with a fence-post provided with a recess in one face, and a rackplate secured over said recess, provided with an aligning-slot, of a brace, a rack-plate at tached to one end ofsaid brace, adapted to engage the post-rack, a lug integral with the brace-rack, a lever fulcrumed centrally upon the post, a link connecting the lower end of said lever to the lower end of said brace, and a threaded bar attached to the upper end of the lever and passing through the brace, and a means for adjusting the said bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combi nation, with a post and a rackplate provided with a central longitudinal slot, secured to said post, of a brace, a rack-plate secured to one end of said brace, adapted to engage the rack-plate, a lug integral with the brace-rack plate, adapted to enter the slot in the post-rack, and means, substantially as described, for adj usting the brace in relation to the post, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a fence, at post and brace-rack consisting in the rack 15, having a longitudinal slot, 16, and the opposing rack 19, having a projection, 20, on its toothed face entering said slot, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS GRIFFIN. \VM. MITCHELL.

Witnesses:

W. A. \Vamwmon'r, J. B. I-IoR'roN. 

